Since establishing Rahman Ravelli in 2001, Aziz’s expertise in serious and white-collar crime has seen both his and the firm’s reputation rise dramatically. His ability to coordinate national, international and multi-agency defences has led to success in some of the most significant business crime cases of this century.
He has been recognised worldwide as one of the most capable legal experts regarding top-level, high-value commercial and financial disputes. His track record in cross-border asset recovery has also played a role in his rise to prominence.
Aziz's achievements have led to him being described as a “real genius”, “a Rolls-Royce performer’’ and “a powerhouse figure in white-collar crime – exceptionally knowledgeable, a fantastic strategist and a very well-respected leader’’ by The Legal 500; which keeps naming him as one of the elite solicitors in the UK. The 2023 Legal 500 calls him “fantastic’’, “first-rate’’ and “simply top drawer’’, adding that he is one “of the most well-respected names in the business’’.
The Chambers UK Guide has called him “a brilliant lawyer…phenomenally committed to his clients”, “an extremely impressive individual’’, “an exceptional and gifted lawyer of considerable experience’’ and consistently ranks him as a star individual in the UK. The 2023 edition of Chambers says Aziz is “recognised worldwide as one of the most capable legal experts regarding top-level, high-value commercial and financial disputes’’, adding that “his reputation is unrivalled’’.
Aziz's consistently high legal rankings and impressive reputation are due to his expertise in serious and corporate fraud, complex crime, bribery and corruption and compliance and regulatory matters. He is recognised as one of the most astute and accomplished litigators in large-scale commercial disputes where there is an element of corporate wrongdoing.
His skill in leading and managing legal teams, both here and overseas, through all stages of a case has been proven to produce the strongest bespoke defence for the corporates, executives and ultra-high net worth individuals that are his clients.
Aziz is known for leading the highest-level, most complex sanctions cases. He has advised and represented some of the biggest institutions on sanctions and sanctions-related litigation involving Russia and eastern Europe, Myanmar and other regions. His clients include corporate leaders, banks, PLC’s and other sizeable, international companies in sectors as diverse as engineering, power, chemicals, petroleum and nanotechnology.
His dealings with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the National Crime Agency (NCA), the City of London Police, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and international bodies such as the FBI, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), OLAF, Interpol and police and anti-corruption agencies around the world have led to consistent success in major, high-profile fraud and business crime cases here and abroad.
Aziz's ability to analyse complex material swiftly and work tactically and tenaciously for clients has seen him be the first to take certain types of cases to the highest possible UK and European courts. It has also made him the first choice for many senior business individuals who want an internal investigation conducted at their company.
From initial meetings with clients, Aziz is adept at deciding the best approach to take, the most suitable personnel for a case and the very best use of the firm’s experience and expertise to secure success. This has led to him becoming the logical choice for corporates who are looking to obtain a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) rather than face a criminal prosecution.
